It's safe to say that for the most part, Nikkie Tutorials is unproblematic. Her bubbly personality and never-ending wit have made her a beauty YouTuber favorite who stays out of all the mess. However, she may have just had her first run-in with being called out.
After shouting out a multilevel marketing company (think Amway and Herbalife), fans accused the makeup expert of lying about sponsorships, but she says they couldn't be more wrong.
On Sunday, Nikkie de Jager posted a video using Tati Beauty and Jaclyn Hill Cosmetics.
No problems there, right? Until she gave a shoutout to Young Living, a multilevel marketing company selling essential oils and vitamins, with a seedy past. Fans immediately took notice.
"Young Living is an MLM, please do not support them, Nikkie," one commenter wrote. "Look into them and you'll see for yourself how exploitative MLMs are. Of your mother is a consultant for them, i'm sure she's not putting herself at financial risk, but she is promoting a business that puts less financially secure people into debt and results in profits for very very few. Buy essential oils from traditional retail brands, not from MLMs like doterra and young living."
De Jager, who for the most part is drama-free, responded through her Twitter account.
"It has been brought to my attention that a subject I spoke about briefly in one of my videos, Young Living, is part of a MLM," she began. "From the bottom of my heart, I had no idea. I was just sharing as I liked the scent. I agree I should’ve done more research."
She didn't stop there, and thanked those who took the time to constructively address the shout-out.
"I do want to thank the people who kindly educated me instead of attacking me out of the blue. I am human, and it’s impossible for me to know everything, and through all of you I learn," she said, clearly in disdain of those who were very aggressive in their approach of informing her about Young Living.
She also expressed that some of the things said wore on her heart.
"Can I be honest?" she asked. "It breaks my heart that some out there are all like: 'She’s such a liar … a hidden sponsorship!!!!' when I’ve been so open and honest with my symbol system. That hurt, not gonna lie."
Her frustration is understandable. De Jager, who has a strict symbol system in her videos to alert viewers of sponsorships, has always been extremely transparent.
And for a bit more on Young Living...
D. Gary Young, Young Living's founder, has faced lawsuits alleging deceit. Some claim that, along with his wife, the two have lied to women about their products' fertility benefits. In addition, rumors swirled after his newborn child died from an alleged cardiac arrest after being birthed in a whirlpool bath at Young's health club.
Whew, we're happy de Jager addressed that one.
